AAI secures eco clearance for ₹354-cr Surat airport expansion

Airport Authority of India (AAI), which has planned to expand the Surat airport's terminal building in Gujarat, has secured environment clearance (EC) from the Ministry of Environment for the project involving an investment of ₹354 crore. The terminal building of the airport is being extended from the existing area of 8,474 sq m to additional 17,046 sq m space excluding city side and air side kerb, and will now have a total area of 25,520 sq m. Along with the terminal building expansion, the work of the parallel taxi track has also been started to allow the smooth landing and take-off of the aircraft. The expanded terminal will change the face of Surat airport as more flights will be able to operate with more number of passengers. Earlier, the completion date for the project was April 2021 but it got delayed because EAC observed that the airport authorities had not complied to the laid down norms including the provision of sewage treatment plant (STP), rainwater harvesting, setting up of the laboratory for environment management cell. The project is now expected to be completed before March 2022. The airport authorities said that the project did not require wildlife clearance as there is no wildlife sanctuary within 10 km radius and that the un-notified Hazira bird sanctuary is located at 11.2 km away.